The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1887-02-18
a WOMAN'S WILD RIDE.

Public interest has lately been CEN
tered on that particular portion OF the
Austro- Russian frontier which will con-
stitutc the basis of operations in war
between these two great empires. The
boundary lines in question are closely
guarded by innumerable patrols OF
semi-savagc Cossacks on the Russian
side, and by squadrons of lancers on
that of Austria. The surrounding
country is wild and sparcely populated.
and the life of the officer designated for
frontier duty is not without certain
amount of piquancy and adventure. In
August, IS, my husbands regiment,
the 49, Lancers, was ordered out TO
leave its pleasant quarters ut Vienna in
order to perform its term OF frontier
duty. Only two of the married ladies,
Princess T, wife of the senior ma
ior, and myself, were adventurous
enough to accompany the regiment; tho
remainder preferring life of ease in
the capital to the hardships of military
life in miserable Polish villages. Our
friends took leave Of MS as il we were
marching of to the field of battle, and
after Il gracious farewell audience OF
the empress, who was 10th to separate
herself for so long from one Of her ia
vorte ladies in waiting, we left Vienna
and few days later reached our sta
ton on the borders of the steppe near
where a river ran. The country is Hat
and melancholy, with here and there
cluster of stunted willow or birch trees
and many a stream of running water
bubbles through the tall grasses OF the
plain. In winter the desolation of the
place is heart-rending, and to remain
for eight months in the snow badly
protected from the elements as we were,
was far from being u cheering pros
poet. The nearest railway station was
nineteen hours distant, and the only
diversions we had were hunting, driv-
ing and riding.
When arrived at my new destination
| looked rather disconsolately at the
bare. damp walls of the three peasant
huts which were allotted TO me, and
asked myself how l could ever succeed
in making such primitive place COM
Portable. Luckily l had brought with
me an ample supply of Turkish rugs
and draperies, and, after having the
bare earth floors covered with thick
layer of dry straw, l stretched the car
pets over il. The walls | completely
concealed with Oriental draperies and
nv pretty Viennese furniture arranged
as best / could. throwing piles of cush'
ions On the ground, and hanging cur
tains and pieces of tapestry everywhere
to keep out the draughts which have
but too fair a play in these wretched
wooden constructions. My drawing and
dining.rooms were in the first hut my
bedrooms and dressing.room in the
second. and the kitchen. and servants
lodgings in the third. My horses had
to be CHARTERED in the regimenta'
stables.
During the whole of September and
OCTOBER we hunted three times week.
and l was very proud of being always
the first in at the death and Of thus OBJ
tanning the foot or the brush.
One fine October day rode of alone
on my English mare, Water NymPh.
Intending to have a gallop before din
ner. Somehow / lost my way and
galloped unaware over the Russian from
I era thing that had been strictly for
hidden TO any Of us was vending
my way through the high grasses lost
in the enjoyment Of the crisp. brighl